How You Can Help

Donate Financially: Panhandle Trails is a division of Senior Services, Inc., public purpose organization, maintains a 501(c)3 filing status and is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170 of the IRS.Senior Services, Inc. has provided rural intra-city public transportation services for over 43 years within Box Butte County, Nebraska. Our current focus has shifted to providing regional intercity public transportation services in the western Nebraska Panhandle region. This service is designed with the primary goal to connect individuals with other modes of transportation in the region and to assist all passengers so they may reach places of employment, education, recreation and vital services that directly affect their health and well-being and possibly that of their families.We offer ADA Equivalent Service; our service is offered to individuals equivalent to the level and quality of service offered to individuals without disabilities with special attention given to the elderly and those with additional needs. Our Drivers are required to successfully complete all Federal, State and internal safety testing and must adhere to Senior Services, Inc. Substance Abuse Policy mandated by the Federal Transportation Administration.All of our operating costs are currently allocated through the Nebraska Department of Roads, but it still leaves our organization with a funding shortfall for capital expenses. These capital expenses primarily include our fleet of vehicles. It is our hope to expand our fleet from a minimum of one vehicle to at least a minimum of four in 2016-2017.Your tax deductible gift can assist us in increasing our fleet; offering more flexibility in scheduling routes and additional connections to other providers, assist those to reach even more vital services within the region and stimulate economic growth in our area.

Donate Your Time – Become a Volunteer Transportation Escort
The Escort Role – Transportation escorts provide assistance and support in a number of ways—and often fulfill more than one role. In other programs, the transportation escort is a person in addition to the driver, who provides necessary assistance to passengers. The variety of assistance that escorts may provide to riders includes:

Four Levels of Door-Through-Door Support: For riders who require door-through-door assistance, this may be the only way they can maintain a connection to their community.

Gentle Support: Opening doors and providing verbal guidance.

Physical Support: Providing physical support for the rider to assist with balance, assist in climbing steps or performing similar functions. This support may include delivering the rider to an attendant at the destination who then takes over the task of personal support and assistance. This “handoff” function is sometimes called “hand-to-hand” or “chair-to-chair” service.

Activity Support: The driver or escort stays with the rider and helps with the activity at the destination. For example, the driver or escort may assist the rider inside a grocery store, help the rider understand a doctor’s instructions or diagnosis or serve as an advocate for the rider’s travel needs.

Personal Support: The driver or escort may help the rider put on coats, shoes or boots, and help by putting away groceries in the rider’s home. Some drivers or escorts are, or become, friends of the rider and offer emotional or other personal support.

Please contact the Transit Director at 308.761.8748 for more information.